Johnson and Johnson: Why talc-based powder will stop their sales in 2023?

After 38,000 serious allegations, Johnson and Johnson's talc-based baby powder will stop international sales from 2023. The product has already been discontinued in the US and Canada

Johnson and Johnson's baby powder will soon be history, as the company will stop selling its baby talcum powder in 2023. However, the brand will be reborn as they plan to bring corn-starch-based powder into the market. In a report by Reuters, Johnson and Johnson has over 38,000 lawsuits that claim its talc products to be carcinogenic due to contamination with asbestos minerals.

Also, read | Johnson & Johnson drops talcum baby-powder globally as lawsuits mount

The more surprising though is why a top brand like Johnson and Johnson's got discontinued in countries like the United States of America and Canada. While the company claims all the lawsuits to be a gimmick, the reasons are still not known. Here are some of the queries that need to be resolved.

Why Johnson & Johnson talc powder will be discontinued?

Though there is no one-word answer. People think and claim that Johnson and Johnson's baby powder is highly carcinogenic because of the contamination of the asbestos mineral.

However, Johnson & Johnson claims that the powder is safe for the body. Also, its sales were badly affected after information about the risk of cancer came out.

Can the baby powder cause cancer?

Though the company denies the claims, their numbers have been affected as most consumers believed in the thought. To rescale a new product, Johnson & Johnson will be using corn starch in the talcum baby powder.

Some American women also claimed that they got ovarian cancer after using the baby powder. Regulators in the United States of America claimed that they found cancer-inducing ingredients in the baby powder. Moreover, the company has not accepted any of these allegations to be true.

How much does Johnson & Johnson pay for litigation?

The top pharma company is mired in litigation and paid more than one billion USD in lawsuits over the past five years.

Moreover, the company's bankruptcy filing suggests that it has been forced to pay around 3.5 billion USD to settle settlement matters.

What does Johnson & Johnson Powder contain?

Johnson & Johnson claims that the powder is made from a natural mineral named Talc. It contains oxygen, hydrogen, silicon, and magnesium. In simple words, talc is a hydrous magnesium silicate, used in cosmetics and personal care products, as it is a good absorbent of moisture.

The only reason why cancer came into the limelight is that Asbestos is also released from where it is extracted. It can be dangerous and life-threatening for the body. During the mining of talc, there is a high risk of getting mica, which could be harmful.